Cocal-Cola League Two

Luton Town 1 (1) Darlington 2 (1)

Lacking firepower youthful Hatters were dealt a cruel blow as Darlington grabbed victory in the last minute at Kenilworth Road today.

Robbed of their most experience players a late Greg Blundell strike capped a frustrating afternoon for the Hatters who had battled so hard throughout and had earlier cancelled out Billy Clarke's strike through Claude Gnakpa's header.

Town made just one change to the starting XI that beat Brentford in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy via the first ever penalty shootout at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night.

Manager Mick Harford opted for the 4-5-1 formation that served the Hatters so well in their 1-1 draw at Bradford, with captain Keith Keane coming back in for striker Ryan Charles and Chris Martin ploughing a lone furrow in attack.

The Quaker started to cause problems for their hosts from as early as the second minute when David Poole's cross was allowed to run right across the face of goal before Ed Asafu-Adjaye could clear it behind.

Luton were struggling to really impose themselves on the game, but Keane should probably have done better when he headed Rossi Jarvis' corner over on 12 minutes.

But Town were hit with a hammer blow when Darlington took the lead out of the blue on 15 minutes. Asafu-Adjaye gave away a pointless free-kick on the right and Rob Purdie's cross was met at the front post by Clarke who easily turned the ball past the exposed Conrad Logan.

This strike seemed to wake the Hatters from their slumber and Asa Hall's speculative long range effort on 20 minutes easily looped over the stranded Simon Brown, but sadly dipped wide of the right-hand upright.

With just one man up front Town were playing far too much football outside of Daro's box and rarely threatened the visitors goal until Gnakpa levelled the scores with his first goal for the club on 31 minutes. Having been fouled on the right the Frenchman rose highest in the Quakers' box to glance home Jarvis' free-kick into the top left-hand corner.

And the Hatters should have been in front with a beautiful flowing move six minutes later. Jake Howells was quickest on to Garreth O'Connor's intercepted pass and his lovely inside pass set Martin free inside the box, but his close range effort was well saved by Brown, who also managed to get to the loose ball first with Howells lurking.

Clarke tested Logan again with a good shot on the turn from outside the box with six minutes left, while in the dying moments of the half Michael Spillane could only turn another Jarvis free-kick wide of the post.

The second half started in much the same way with disjointed Town struggling to create much with only one up front.

In a bid to inject some impetus Harford threw both striker Ryan Charles and winger Marc Pugh on on 58 minutes at the expense of Asafu-Adjaye and O'Connor.

Suddenly Luton seemed much more likely in attack and almost seized the lead on 66 minutes. Howells' great cross from the left was met by Jarvis, but his shot was straight at Brown.

The game began to open up and Purdie was inches away from giving the visitors the advantage three minutes later. The winger roasted Harry Worley down the right before cutting inside and clipping the bar with a great effort from 20 yards out.

And Darlo went close again with just 15 minutes left. The lively Clarke got the better of Gnakpa on the left and his cross was headed just wide by Liam Hatch.

The action started to swing from end to end, and Charles should have tested Brown with 10 minutes to go. A nippy Town counter-attack ended with Pugh crossing invitingly for Charles, but the young striker failed to connect properly when well placed.

Substitute Blundell burst into Luton's box seconds later and forced a decent stop from Logan with a ferocious drive.

With eight minutes left the Hatters carved out another glorious opportunity. Jarvis fired in a fantastic cross from right but Spillane's sent a bullet header wide at the front post.

And the Quakers snatched it in the last minutes with a great striker from Blundell. Jason Kennedy's pass released the substitute and Blundell made no mistake as he rippled the net from 10 yards out.

Luton still had one last chance to level when Worley's surging run opened up the heart of Darlo's defence, but the Asa Hall's effort rattled the bar and the Quakers cleared the danger as they hung on for victory.

Hatters: Conrad Logan, Claude Gnakpa, Keith Keane (C), Garreth O'Connor (Marc Pugh 58), Harry Worley, Asa Hall, Ed Asafu-Adjaye (Ryan Charles 58), Rossi Jarvis, Chris Martin, Michael Spillane, Jake Howells. Substitutes not used: Dean Brill, Ian Roper, Paul McVeigh.

Quakers: Simon Brown, Neil Austin, Alan White, Steve Foster (C), Jason Kennedy, Rob Purdie, Ricky Ravenhill, David Poole (Greg Blundell 61), Billy Clarke (Robin Hulbert 90), Liam Hatch, Tim Ryan. Substitutes not used: Ian Miller, Adam Proudlock, Przemyslaw Kazimierczak.

Referee: J Linington.

Assistant referees: M Dexter and A Sannerude.

Fourth official: M Rowley.

Booked: Tim Ryan 31, Neil Austin 63, Liam Hatch 73.

Attendance: 5,560 (Darlington 207).

Star Hatter: Jake Howells. The 17-year-old is a real talent.